Jafar
Jafar (Arabic: جعفر) is the primary antagonist in the first two films of Aladdin. He is voiced by Jonathan Freeman in both films and in the Kingdom Hearts series of video games. An inspiration to the character is the villain Jaffar, played by Conrad Veidt in The Thief of Bagdad, from which Aladdin borrows several character ideas and plot elements. The Jafar of Disney's Aladdin plays essentially the same part as the character from the 1940s movie, and is drawn with notable similarity to Conrad Veidt's looks. Animator Andreas Deja decided to design Jafar in a way he was contrasting to the other characters, with many vertical lines against the curvy designs based on Al Hirschfeld. When Deja first met Jonathan Freeman, he was surprised to see the lack of physical similarity to the character - but also included some of Freeman's acting and gesturing into Jafar's animation. Appearance Aladdin In the first film, Jafar tries to find Genie's lamp in order to take over Agrabah. After stealing it from Aladdin, he first wishes to become the sultan, and then the most powerful sorcerer in the world. Jafar tries to win Princess Jasmine's heart by offering to make her his beloved queen, but an angry Jasmine refuses. Frustrated, Jafar decides to use his third wish to have Jasmine to fall in love with him. The Genie tells Jafar that he cannot make someone fall in love. Jafar angrily orders him to, not seeing Aladdin when arguing with the Genie. Jasmine pretends to fall in love with Jafar and seduces him, but after their kiss, Jafar discovers Aladdin. After battling Aladdin using a series of bad puns, Jafar transforms himself into a giant cobra in an attempt to kill Aladdin after wrapping his coils around the boy, Jafar began squeezing the life out of him, Aladdin slyly fools him into using his third and final wish to become an all-powerful genie in an attempt to rule the whole universe. The power-hungry Jafar is convinced that becoming a genie is the only way to have unlimited power (since Genie was the one who gave Jafar his power in the first place, thus making Jafar the second most powerful being after Genie), and he falls for Aladdin's trap. Now transformed into a genie with unlimited powers but no free will, Jafar becomes trapped in his own lamp along with Iago. The Return of Jafar In The Return of Jafar, the now-genie Jafar is released by Abis Mal, and, after cunningly making Abis-Mal waste his first two wishes, threatens Abis into helping him. His plan includes holding Jasmine, Abu, the Sultan, and the Carpet hostage (as well as confining Genie in a power orb to prevent him from foiling his plan) and framing Aladdin for the Sultan's "death", which would cause him to face death at the hands of the palace guards. Luckily, a reformed Iago frees Genie from the orb, giving him enough time to save Aladdin and his friends. When Jafar discovers this, he opens up a volcanic fissure into the earth in an attempt to destroy Aladdin and the others. Just as Iago grabs the lamp and attempts to give it to Aladdin to put an end to it, Jafar shoots the bird down with a fireball. Having heard from Genie that destroying the lamp holding a genie inside will destroy the genie itself, an injured Iago manages to kick the lamp into the lava, melting it. With a scream of anger, fear, and pain, Jafar fades to a skeletal form and violently implodes into a cloud of dust, destroying him for good. Hercules:series/Hercules in Arabian Night In an episode of Hercules: The Animated Series called "Hercules and the Arabian Night" Jafar makes another attempt at revenge, and is temporarily resurrected by Hercules's arch-enemy, Hades. He has lost his status as an all-powerful immortal genie after dying, but Hades gives him a new cobra staff that makes him flesh and blood as long as he holds it, and the two villains team up to get rid of Aladdin and Hercules. However, due to Aladdin's wit and Herc's strength, Jafar is defeated for the final time, being pulled into the River Styx. Kingdom Hearts Jafar debuted in Kingdom Hearts as one of the members of Maleficent's inner circle. Here, he plans to use the Heartless and take over Agrabah. Jafar is attempting to located both Jasmine (as she is one of the Princess' of Heart) and Agrabah's Keyhole. Jafar eventually manages to steal the Genie's lamp from Aladdin and kidnap Jasmine. Sora, Aladdin, Donald Duck and Goofy track him to the Cave of Wonders where they engage Jafar in battle. Upon his defeat he fakes death but returns and uses his final wish to become a Genie and battles the team again only to be defeated and sealed away in the lamp. In Kingdom Hearts II, Jafar's lamp is found by the Peddler, making him a target for Pete as he reveals his intent to make Jafar into a Heartless under his control. Once Pete is driven off, the lamp is placed within the palace. However, Jafar is later released by the Peddler and he threatens Iago into helping him get Sora and his friends on a wild goose chase to their death while he captures Jasmine. But after the heroes arrive, with Iago taking a hit meant for Aladdin, Sora defeats Jafar, causing him to implode with his lamp dissolving soon after. Jafar appears in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories with the Heartless to take over a facsimile of Agrabah created from Sora's memories. Other Appearances In the Disney's Hollywood Studios version of Fantasmic! Nighttime Show Spectacular, Jafar is one of the villains the Evil Queen evokes to fight Mickey Mouse and ruin his imagination. Jafar appears with Maleficent, Ursula and Oogie Boogie in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom halloween-themed fireworks program HalloWishes at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Jafar is featured in several episodes of Disney's House of Mouse. He also appears briefly in Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse, and acts as the leader of the Disney Villains in Mickey's House of Villains. The character Jafar has also been heavily featured in the popular internet radio show Red Bar Radio thumb|300px|left|Here you can see Jafar singing the song Prince Ali in [[-03-0012Aladdin.]]thumb|300px|right|Here you can see Jafar in most off his appearance in the first film.